Gudbrandsdalen: My week in the valley

A few weeks ago I took my first trip of the summer to a few towns in Gudbrandsdalen, a long valley found about halfway between Trondheim and Oslo. (Remember the bunad I wore on Syttende mai? It's from Gudbrandsdalen!) Though I'd driven through Gudbrandsdalen before I hadn't spent any real time there. It's a very traditional region and was the perfect place to spend a relaxing week, away from the noise of the city, exploring rural, small town Norway.


First I went to Kvam to visit distant cousins who run a camping ground/conference center called Kirketeigen. It's a place where hikers or travelers can stop for the night or large groups can rent the whole place for events.

I arrived just in time for what my dad affectionately calls Norway's National Pastime: Coffee and cake around the living room table. You don't need a special occasion to take part in this pastime but in this instance we were celebrating Per Reidar's birthday. 

Gerd Marie and her beautiful creation.

Would have made a perfect 4th of July cake, too!

Per Reidar, eager to dig in.

Notice Torkell's Space Needle t-shirt :)

Gerd Marie lived in Seattle for several years as little girl because of her father's job. Her family later moved back to Norway where she finished school but she remembers a lot so it was fun to hear about experiences in places I know well myself. More pictures of the Kirketeigen grounds:

For my dad-- a pair of Harley Davidson's camping out

I'm thankful for the time everyone in Gudbrandsdalen
spent with me, and for the green landscape and fresh air.

My next stop was Vågå (pronounced basically like "Vo-go") to visit my friend from school, Marit, and her family. I was really excited to go to Vågå after listening to Marit describe (only half-jokingly) its amazingness. One day last fall she read to me from the local newspaper, including a front page story about the big clock at the supermarket that was broken and still needed fixing. From that point on, I knew I needed to make it to Vågå. A place like that is so different from Trondheim or anywhere else I've lived, so I wanted to know what it was like to grow up and live there. Marit had to drive almost half an hour to a neighboring town for high school and there were still only about 30 students in her graduating class. 

 Good morning, Vågå!

Vågå stole my heart, broken clock and all.

So if you don't want to hang out at the town's only cafe, what should you do in a place like Vågå? Get to the mountains! We found a place with no one else around and started walking.

Marit and her cousin lead the way

Marit, the best guide in town

Sometimes all you need is a good

hike in the middle of nowhere.

A bit too chilly for us to want to jump in, unfortunately.

In case you mistakenly think there are no cultural experiences to be had in the Vågå area, I present to you: The Country Festival. American country cover artists who were actually pretty good. Texas and Confederate flags everywhere. People wearing chaps, cowboy hats, and boots. Were most of them serious or just joking? I couldn't figure it out and I still don't know. What I do know is that I appreciated the little slice of American life I got to experience on a farm in the middle of a valley in Norway. I'll admit I was a tad bit homesick once "Take Me Home, Country Roads" came on.

 Everybody loves a good ol' down home country festival

There you have it, life in Gudbrandsdalen. If I told you anymore you might die of jealousy. Oh, I just can't resist: have to mention that we went to Bakeriet i Lom, very possibly Norway's best bakery (yes, it's been on TV), and had the most delicious pastries. I guess you're extremely jealous now if you weren't before, sorry!

What's better than a fresh Norwegian pastry?

Two!